Tag Archives | Winter 2013-14 Recipes

Jean Yves, a classically trained pastry chef, started at age 14 in Paris, graduated from Ecole Jean Ferrandi and settled with his wife, Yulia, in 2010 in the Berkshires by way of Long Island. He owned and ran five pastry shops in Long Island and produced desserts for outgoing flights from the JFK airport, including Air France. They are pleased to have left city life for the Berkshires, where they can enjoy all we have to offer.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 8 dry ingredients (flour through salt.) Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute, then gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed until well blended and light, about 2 minutes.… Read the rest

This is an old favorite that we learned from chef Michelle Miller 20 years ago when she had the Boiler Room Café in Great Barrington. (These days, she’s founder and owner of Bola Granola.) We call it The Miller in her honor.

Place 1 or 2 scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream* in a small bowl or coffee cup. Pour a shot of single-malt Scotch or a great bourbon over the top and dust with coarsely ground Barrington Coffee Italian Roast. You won’t be sorry.

* There’s no shortage of wonderful local ice cream available in the Berkshires: Bart’s Homemade, Golden Organics, Highlawn Farm, Maple Valley, Soco Creamery—all available at Guido’s. Gould Farm, available at their farm store in Monterey.

By Peter Platt, owner and executive chefTHE OLD INN ON THE GREENNew MarlboroughOldInn.com

Chef Peter Platt’s lamb shanks at the Old Inn on the Green are a favorite. The setting is one of candlelit rooms in a 250-year-old inn in New Marlborough. The dining rooms are elegant yet offer an intimate dining experience. His menu indulges in tastes of the season, often locally foraged and sourced from farmers Peter knows well. This recipe is rich with deep flavors from the stock and the braising of the lamb, and a risotto with roasted vegetables that comforts hearty appetites in winter

Lamb shanks are one of the cuts of meat that benefit most from long, slow braising. Don’t omit the step of turning the shanks every half hour; it causes them to caramelize even as they braise. If the braising liquid seems too reduced at the end of the cooking process, stir 1 cup of water into the liquid before straining.

Mix all ingredients together and rub VERY generously over the duck breasts. Wrap in cheesecloth and put in a pan large enough to fit a foil-wrapped brick on top of each breast. Place pan in refrigerator for three weeks, draining pan of liquids every 2–3 days.

The breasts will feel hard and well-pressed when properly cured.

Wipe breasts with warm damp cloth.

Wrap in new cheesecloth and refrigerate until ready to use.

Render skin and fat:

Cut reserved skin and fat into medium-sized pieces and put into a small, heavy-bottomed pot. Add ¼ cup water and simmer over medium heat until water evaporates and skin pieces are crisp and have released all their fat, about ½ hour. Store released fat in refrigerator for later use, in Stage Two.

STAGE 2:

1 whole small goose, available fresh from Climbing Tree Farm from March to October.… Read the rest

Scrub and thinly slice the potatoes. Set them aside in a bath of cold water.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut the Tobasi into small cubes and set aside.

Combine the milk and butter in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom. Slowly heat over a mediumlow flame, stirring frequently, until the butter melts. Be careful not to scald the milk by allowing it to boil.

Add the Tobasi cubes to the sauce about ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently, until all the cheese has melted. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. If the cheese sauce seizes up, just reduce the heat and add a little more milk while stirring.

Drizzle a little olive oil on the bottom of a 9- by 12-inch casserole dish.

Arrange the thinly sliced potatoes in 1 layer, overlapping the edges like shingles. Pour a small amount of the cheese sauce over the first potato layer and repeat until you’ve made as many layers as possible and still have about a scant cup of sauce to drizzle over the top.… Read the rest

By William Merelle, owner and executive chef,ROUGE RESTAURANT AND BISTROWest StockbridgeRougeRestaurant.com

Chef William Merelle from the Pyrenees and his wife, Maggie, are the owners of Rouge Restaurant and Bistro in West Stockbridge. They’ve created a welcoming spot for locals and tourists, with a menu featuring appetizers of escargots or mussels and entrees of free-range duck or baby back ribs. Once in a while, brisket is offered as a special.

Terry Moore’s Old Mill in South Egremont has attracted locals and tourists for decades. The restaurant feels like the 1800s and its menu ranges from steaks and chops to shrimp curry and rainbow trout. Terry often lists his chicken liver mousse on the menu of first courses. It’s a classic, comforting appetizer especially popular during the holiday season. P

Chef Josephine Proul, chef at Local 111 in Philmont, New York, is young and adventurous. She enjoys combining fresh, seasonal ingredients from local sources, such as the Berkshire pork chop with apples and cabbage slaw, or fish with lentils and kale. She’s provided a recipe that’s a take on the classic holiday dish of green bean casserole with fried onions on top. In this recipe Jo uses sunchokes, otherwise known as Jerusalem artichokes, which are readily available at markets. They look like small potatoes and are crunchy with a slight artichoke taste.

I happen to be lucky enough to have my grandmother’s well-seasoned cast-iron crepe pan, but a nonstick crepe pan will do as well. Using a well-seasoned crepe pan or nonstick 5- to 6-inch frying pan, heat pan on low-medium flame, brush pan with canola oil or melted butter. (I usually do a tester before I really get started to make sure pan is hot enough, etc.)

Then ladle ½ cup of batter into the pan and swirl it so it spreads onto the entire surface. Cook until the edges start browning and top seems dry.

Loosen the edges (I use a fork but a spatula would do the trick as well). Then flip the crepe and let it cook for a few seconds. (I find this is a feel sort of thing—you just can tell when it’s ready!)

Welcome to Edible Berkshires - a local, independently owned magazine dedicated to covering the unique culinary culture of the Berkshires region. We report on the growers, artisans, vintners, purveyors and taste makers who play a role in our culinary scene.